"S... Sarah?"
The bartender's lips trembled when his suspicion was confirmed.
Sarah on the other hand, growled in an unladylike manner at the bartender.
"Shhh," she placed a finger to her lips gesturing to the bartender that he shouldn't speak.
He nodded excitedly, tears even slipping from his eyes. She shook her head at the dramatic bartender.
"Refill my glass," she ordered, extending the glass to him. Without wasting time, he did as he was told, refilling her glass again.
She chugged down the drink, grimacing at the fiery sensation and also grunting in gratitude. The bartender stood frozen, too caught up in his excitement to do his job. Sarah felt uneasy but kept her silence, still lost in thoughts of the earlier betrayal.
Then she began to wonder, where had she messed up for Daniel to cheat on her?
No, where did she mess up for him to choose her stepsister over all the other ladies out there?
Just like that, after five years of being together, it all came crashing down. On her anniversary night, no less. Her face turned dark, but she kept silent and burst into uncontrollable laughter. The bartender, unable to tear his eyes away, noticed a single tear escaping from his idol's eyes, but he resisted the urge to inquire. He didn't want to invade her privacy to avoid giving out the poke nosing vibe.
Unable to bear his gaze any longer, she locked eyes with him and raised an eyebrow, questioning him. "What's the matter?"
He shook his head and stammered, "Uh, sorry. I'll, uh, go do my job." He quickly scurried away, clearly embarrassed.
She didn't say much and just rested her head on the counter again, her emotions were all over the place as she replayed the scene of Daniel and Hannah in her mind. Feeling overwhelmed, she lifted her head and gulped down another shot.
Sarah wasn't actually a drinker - But tonight, she needed to unwind.
With just three shots, she was already feeling pretty drunk, the hoodie she was wearing became unbearably hot.
After a few more minutes of the stifling heat, she reached a point where she just didn't care anymore. She boldly pulled the hood away from her head, letting her hair cascade down behind her.
She brought the glass to her lips again and downed it in one go, grimacing at the burning sensation as usual.
Just when she thought everything was fine, she heard a click from beside her.
Panic set in as she realized she had been found out so soon. She turned to her right and, sure enough, someone was there snapping pictures of her.
The sudden camera click grabbed everyone's attention in the bar. She couldn't bear to face the crowd, but she couldn't just sit there frozen either, It would be a major scandal if news got out because her fans knew she wasn't the clubbing or drinking type.
She froze for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest, the voice called out her name again, this time with a hint of hesitation, "Sarah?" She couldn't hide any longer and couldn't ignore them. With a deep breath, she slowly turned around to face them.
"Sarah?"
"It's really Sarah!"
The whole club went wild with excitement when they saw her, everyone was in shock and couldn't believe their eyes. Seeing her in person was like a dream come true for them. They didn't even care why she came to the club; all that mattered was that she was right there in front of them.
Sarah found herself in a tough spot without her bodyguards. She regretted driving away in anger without them, realizing how foolish it was. She couldn't help but smile weakly as the drink took hold of her once again.
Just as she predicted, the crowd swarmed her, one after another, wanting to take pictures.
Oh no!
She tried her best to accommodate their requests and took a few more pictures, but the constant mobbing became overwhelming for her. It was becoming too much to handle, after another round of pictures, she desperately searched for an escape route and miraculously found one.
With a sluggish dash, she made her way towards it. It was moments like this that reminded her how challenging it could be to navigate life as a celebrity.
And that was her second mistake. She didn't notice the door that boldly had "VIP only" written on it before dashing in.
Her eyes scanned the luxurious red room before her. Was this the VIP lounge? Oh man, what a situation to find herself in.
The lounge was filled with sharp-dressed businessmen, engrossed in their important discussions. But at that moment, she couldn't care less about their business matters, her main priority was finding help to escape from the persistent fans who were hot on her trail.
As she noticed the VIP door about to open, she instinctively covered her head, desperately searching the room for any possible hiding spots; time was of the essence.
And then, as if out of the shadows, a towering figure came into view, though he was seated on the couch. Dressed in a sleek black suit, his face obscured, he exuded an air of mystery. Undeterred by the uncertainty, she sprinted towards him, defying all logic.
The room fell silent, every eyes fixed upon her audacious move. Whispers filled the air, "What is she doing?" The atmosphere grew colder, as if sensing the impending doom.
In a daring act of defiance, Sarah actually perched herself on his lap, defying the expectations of everyone present. A collective gasp echoed through the room, mingling with the frosty air.
With her small hands wrapped around his neck, she sought solace in the mysterious stranger's presence, burying her face in the safety of his neck.
The mysterious man not only had an alluring presence but also smelled amazing. Perhaps it was the combination of adrenaline and the chaos that fueled her courage.
Feeling safe and comforted in his arms, she then went ahead to mutter, "Please save me."